For those who chose not to participate - you missed to run one of the toughest trail runs and you missed free beer samples at the end of the race...
If beer sampling becomes tradition I know I can convince about 10 more runners to come to the race.
Well organized race from what I could see. As a runner using timing chips did not make this event more enjoyable however I could see that it made it less stressful overall coordination, lap counting, etc.
Dennis VanKurkof almost started without timing chip however.
It did confuse me for about 15 seconds that registration was separate from food lodge.
If I can advice on something then whenever there is "significant" change from usual then it should have been stressed to participants that "there is this change from last year" since many of the runners are "regulars". I was talking to Dennis about 2 minutes before start when someone nearby casually mentioned that timing chip is required.
I did get my timing chip well enough before start however I did not understood why there was a rule that timing chips will be given out till 9:10.
Also there was not much order in which timing chips were given out. I was patiently waiting my turn behind backs of few runners, guy who was giving out timing chips all in suddenly stopped for few moments. I was confused as rest of the crown. For some reason I assumed that guys in front got their timing chips, so I got in front, got my chip, but when I turned around - I saw that there were about 5 guys in front of me who were waiting for timing chip. I am usually very polite about jumping line and I HATE people kind of squeeze in front and I kind of felt bad I did this time. But it seemed too much confusion going on at time.
Overall it was minor inconvenience. Rob passing me at the end of the first loop was different story.
Well sure, I didn't have to save any energy at that point for another 10km! Plus, I heard there was beer - and I wanted to be the first one there.